Hello I have a friend who would like to talk to people in Recovery, he has reached out from a Wisconsin prison, If anyone feels like doing some service work please write to :
Jacob Muller
#455495 Unit 15
Kettle Moraine Correctional Institution
P.O. Box 282, W9071 Forest Drive
Plymouth, WI 53073-0282
If anyone , anywhere reaches out for help I want the hand of A.A. to always be there: Thank-you and please pass it on.
Jacob is in his 30's, likes listening to 30's and 40's radio (movie shows) , is an advanced artists, enjoys reading books written by Russian authors. but most important he has reached out for help.
I have a High School friend in prison in Indiana for his 6 DUI in that state, and like his 16th total. They wanted me to fill out an application so that I could earn "clearance" to be able to send him a package. I couldn't send money or anything other than a letter. It's pretty ridiculous that the majority of inmates have substance abuse problems and assets to make a recovery program available to the inmates is not a priority. Of course prisons are big business these days, privately owned and often times the prisoners are rented to local industries and contractors for pennies and hour (slave labor). Meanwhile politicos are cutting school budgets.
-- Edited by StPeteDean on Saturday 6th of October 2012 04:37:19 PM
Steve, there is a waiting list to get to that part of the prison for A.A. meetings- I am sure a letter from anyone, anywhere would bring him out of his feelings of isolation. Open doors in his mind of distant places with people who would share their experience , strength and hope.
I think he still needs both, I dont have the money to buy them from the bookstore yet, I wrote world service in New York , I have not heard anything yet.
Dean raises a good point (many good points, in fact).
Some joints don't allow folks to send prisoners books or anything like that, unless it comes from the publisher. Don't know what they rules are for the one your friend is in.
He does not want any money, just people to talk to about Recovery, I should be able to get him a Big Book from World Service, New York.
I have been sending him A.A. approved literature through the mail, I hope that he would get his Big Book, when I was doing time that is all I had and I kept reading the Big Book, it has saved my bacon more then once. At first it was the stories that I could relate to, I didnt understand the first part of the Big Book , not until I got out and my sponser helped me through the steps.
My youngest daughter is in a California prison, down in Chowchilla. Budget cuts in that state are horrendous, and hit the prisons pretty hard. So I got her the Big Book and she began AA and NA meetings herself. She just followed the book, and she said the turn out was very good. There is no rehab in her prison, so she took it into her own hands. I'm sure there was some stumbling in the beginning, but now they go quite well. There are times you just can't wait for the system to come through. I'm glad she took that step. That was about eight years ago now. It sure made a difference in her life and thinking, even in that environment. Given she got 25 to life, I'm glad she didn't just accept the status and moved forward for herself and others. I think helping others is what's keeping her sane.
I'd be happy to drop your friend a note, I know how important outside contact is.
Gotta love this Fellowship. I'll drop your pal a note too...we won't be able to to reply (unless) he has extra stamps. But want to pass on what I've been given. Good stuff Mason.
I just recieved a letter from Jacob, he is still clean and sober, he said he is looking forward to talking to people in Recovery, His birthday is on Oct. 12 if you want to wish him better b=days, thanks again for all your help